Work and adventures

Cala Cerrada from above

Well, it's not technically the weekend, but for me, work is still a whole day away.  That's right - my part time job has me working a Wednesday to Friday shift, so now I just need to figure out how to fill my long weekends.  This weekend was filled up well enough though as I got to explore a little bit more of the Murcian coast.  On Sunday, a former professor and friend of the apartment, Jose David, invited us to go on a hike to the Cala Cerrada, a small cove that is perfect for snorkeling.  Luckily for us, this cove is rarely busy because you either have to boat in or hike down.  The water was perfect and the scenery even more amazing, but we did have to keep an eye out for the many jellyfish that the tide brought in.  Most were near the surface and small (my roommate, Katrin, got a minor sting), but there was a least one large one that hung out a few feet below.  Aside from the jellyfish, the cove was full of small fish and home to at least one small octopus.

The hike back up

After we swam and had lunch on the beach, we hiked back out to the car and drove along the coast towards a Franco-era military base.  From there, we hiked down another trail and reached yet another snorkeling site.  This part of the coast faces Cartagena's very busy port, so the beach was full of trash, but the water was clear and I was able to collect more beach glass for my mason jars back home.
Work has been just as exciting, but even after just three days of working in an elementary school, I already have a cold (guess that's why I have four-day weekends).  I really do enjoy working with younger kids though, and they listen to my slow English explanations of the five senses, the USA, and my family.  The most interesting lecture I got to give last week was about the outcome I predicted in the hypothetical grudge match between a mountain lion and a bald eagle (I picked the big cat), a discussion that came about when I told a group of nine year-olds about animals native to Washington.
On the docket for this week are a review of the senses, how the human eye works, and perhaps more discussion regarding large Washington animals.

A fabulously Franco fortress